Courtesy Photo | Command Sgt. Maj. Ray Devens, command sergeant major of the 25th Infantry Division and...... read more read more
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By Spc. William A. Joeckel
2nd AAB, 1st Inf. Div., USD-C
BAGHDAD — Soldiers with Company A, 1st “Vanguard” Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center, stationed at Camp Taji, Iraq, and their 9th Iraqi Army Division partners, are working to ensure enemy forces realize their indirect fire attacks on U.S. bases do not go unnoticed.
Members of violent extremist networks occasionally attempt to launch such attacks—using mortars and rockets—from areas near bases. It is up to soldiers who patrol these areas to deter attacks and promote a sense of partnered U.S. and Iraqi army presence in these locations.
With that in mind, soldiers with Company A and their 9th IA Division counterparts conducted a joint patrol July 9 near Camp Taji.
“We look for anything that seems out of the ordinary, that poses a threat, such as rocket rails and [improvised rocket assisted mortars],” said Spc. Michael Spinosa, an infantryman with Company A, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, and a Shelton, Conn., native.
Many insurgent groups have established areas from which they launch many of their attacks. U.S. forces track attacks as a way to identify potential locations for future attacks to originate from.
This intelligence is also passed down to the Iraqi army, who also have the job to inspect suspicious sites in order to deter future attacks.
“Information can be obtained from the Iraqi army and used if it can be verified,” said Pfc. Ronald Hegedus, an intelligence analyst with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, and a Sierra Vista, Ariz., native. In addition, we give information to the Iraqi army for the Iraqi soldiers to use while patrolling.
As the soldiers of the 9th Iraqi Army Division are stationed in a base that partially surrounds Camp Taji, an attack on U.S. forces here is an attack on Iraqi soldiers as well. During searches, soldiers with the 9th IA Division join Company A soldiers when they patrol.
“The enemy knows that the U.S. and Iraqi army patrol these sites, because in a lot of these areas there are personnel that we believe act as lookouts for them,” said Sgt. 1st Class Allen Cottone, an infantryman and a platoon sergeant with Company A, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, and a Virginia Beach, Va., native.
Having the 9th IA Division patrol with Company A not only adds to the size of a patrolling force, but also allows for the Iraqis to get to know the people and the areas for which they are responsible.
“They’re doing a lot better then I saw them doing back in 2008,” Cottone said. “They are heading in the right direction and if they keep doing what they are doing now, they will be prepared when we leave.”
On the most recent patrol, soldiers with Company A were joined by Command Sgt. Maj. Ray Devens, command sergeant major of the 25th Infantry Division and USD-C.
“Command Sgt. Maj. Devens was able to see how his soldiers were doing out in sector,” Cottone said. “Instead of just hearing about the work we are doing, he actually saw us performing our job.”
Patrolling near U.S. bases keeps enemy groups on their toes, reducing their opportunity to launch attacks on U.S. and Iraqi forces.
“I think it is very important that we keep on doing these missions,” said Spinosa. “I feel that they have a great impact on what the enemy does.”
| Date Taken: | 07.19.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 07.20.2011 03:13 |
| Story ID: | 73982 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 533 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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